The story revolves around Taichi Hiraga-Keaton (平賀＝キートン・太一 Hiraga-Kīton Taichi), the son of Japanese zoologist Taihei Hiraga (平賀太平 Hiraga Tahei) and well-born Englishwoman Patricia Keaton. Keaton's parents separated when he was five, and young Taichi moved back to England with his mother. As an adult, he studied archeology at Oxford University, in part under the tutelage of Professor Yuri Scott.